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|A |6Helpware|A  ^1Blank-It |Aͺ |6Helpware|A 
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^Cby
^CJohn Romero

    ^1Blank-It^0 is a memory-resident utility that prevents monitor burn-in.  
 Monitor burn-in is caused by leaving the same information on your monitor for 
 an extended period of time.  With Blank-It, you can select how long you want 
 to wait before your screen is blanked.  Don't worry, a simple keypress (even 
 pressing the <SHIFT> key) will return your screen to its previous state and 
 reset Blank-It's internal timer. 

    There are two switches that you use to configure Blank-It.  The /T switch 
 allows you to set the time interval.  The values range from :01 (one second) 
 to 59:59:59 (almost 60 hours).  For example, to wait ten minutes before 
 blanking the screen, you should type: 

^C^1BLANKIT /T10:00.

    The other switch, /B, allows you to select which blanking method to use.  
 The program provides 11 different methods for blanking the screen.  These are 
 the values that correspond to the blanking methods: 

              0 = Blank Screen              5 = Horizontal scroll
              1 = Character Drip            6 = Vertical scroll
              2 = Sliding Screen            7 = Blinking Stars
              3 = Fade Out                  8 = Serpentine
              4 = Horizontal/Vertical       9 = Atomic
                  scroll
                                 ? = Random

 For example, to select the Serpentine method for blanking the screen, you 
 should type 

^C^1BLANKIT /B8.
 
    You can use BOTH the /T and /B switches on the command line at the 
 same time.  To set the blanking time to 5 minutes using a method of Vertical 
 scroll, you should type
 
^C^1BLANKIT /T5:00 /B6.

    Running Blank-It with no command line parameters will set your blanking 
 interval to ten minutes and the blanking method to Blank Screen. 

    After running Blank-It, the program will install itself in your computer's 
 memory and activate when the blanking interval has passed ONLY if: 

^C1) You haven't typed during the interval             ^N
^C2) You haven't used the mouse during the interval    ^N
^C3) You haven't been printing during the interval     ^N
^C4) You haven't accessed any disks during the interval^N

 Once any of these 4 actions are performed, the blanking interval will start 
 back at the beginning.  In other words, if you're 5 minutes into a 10 minute 
 interval, the second that you start typing, Blank-It will reset itself to wait 
 the full 10 minutes.  Blank-It only activates if you haven't done anything on 
 the computer during the blanking interval. 
 
    If you decide that you want the interval changed or the method changed, 
 you can easily do this by typing Blank-It with the new parameter value(s). 
 
    Two final items: (1) Blank-It will not activate from within a 
 graphics display mode and (2) while the screen is blanked, you may press 
 any key to return the blanked screen, but keep in mind that keystroke is 
 passed to any program currently running.  If you do not want this to happen, 
 simply use the <SHIFT> key to deactivate the blanking method. 
 
    To run this program outside the ^1BIG BLUE DISK^0 menu, type ^1BLANKIT^0.

 DISK FILES THIS PROGRAM USES:
^FBLANKIT.EXE

